News
Close match:
• Marching band annual home show review
Clarke Community School District’s marching band annual home show review is planned 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18 at the high school football field. It is a free will donation.
Interstate 35 falls to CD in five-set marathon page 1B
www.osceolaiowa.com
155 YEARS • NO. 41
OSCEOLA, IOWA 50213
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2015
SINGLE COPY PRICE: 75¢
Mayoral race
Three candidates run for Osceola mayor’s seat, Diehl not seeking re-election
Eshelman
Kedley
By AMY HANSEN
OST news editor • ahansen@osceolaiowa.com
Editor’s note: This is the first in a series on mayor/city council candidates in the November election. Three new candidates are vying for the chance to become Osceola’s next mayor. The city’s longstanding mayor Fred Diehl is not seeking re-election. All candidates were given the same questionnaire from the office of the Osceola Sentinel-Tribune. The election is Tuesday, Nov. 3. Candidates are listed in alphabetical order. RONALD ESHELMAN Q: What made you decide to run in the election? A: This has been a decision that I made years ago because I feel it’s time for a positive change and to promote fresh new ideas that have been long overdue. Q: What are the main issues do you think the city of Osceola is facing right now? A: Osceola is and can be a great town to live in, but we all need to put forth that effort and take advantage of grants that, sadly, most people really don’t know about to make our city something great. We have some people who take pride in their homes and property, and then, unfortunately, you may have a neighbor who would reflect the “I don’t care what happens” look to their property. I know, understand
Kimball
and fight for the fact that we are not Waukee, West Des Moines, Altoona. However, our property taxes reflect as if we are, and yet our properties do not. We really need to look into and reassess our property taxes and how it is spent in the city. Next, jobs. I see people looking for jobs all the time, yet the jobs they seek or may be qualified for are far and few here. Not everyone is a “factory” employee. Too many of our townspeople are having to travel 90 miles or more a day just to get a job they are qualified for. We lose money that we could keep here in Osceola if we could attract businesses like insurance company call centers, for example. Then, there is the safety of our residents and visitors. Our sidewalks need repair. We have started with the safety sidewalks from the schools to the main intersections, but we really need all of our sidewalks updated and improved, not just for our kids but for those who have no other means of travel, rather they be simply on an evening walk, without transportation or those who are disabled. Q: What would be some of the best ways to solve some of these problems? A: Osceola really needs to stand behind their townspeople and help or direct Please see MAYOR, Page 4
Candidate forum information A candidate forum for the contested Osceola mayor and city council races in the November election is planned 5:15 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20, at the Lyric Theatre. Candidates should arrive at 4:45 p.m. to hear an explanation of the rules. A meet-and-greet will be held before the forum starting at 5 p.m. It is sponsored by Clarke County Development Corporation. SINGLE COPY PRICE: 75¢
Copyright 2015
OST photo by AMY HANSEN
Jump around: Clarke Community Elementary School students dance and exercise to music on the square in Osceola
Wednesday, Oct. 7. The students walked from the elementary school to the courthouse lawn and then worked out together. This was part of Clarke PTCO’s first-ever “Indian Walk of Pride” walk-a-thon fundraiser, as well as being in conjunction with Live Healthy Iowa’s Healthiest State Initiative Walk. Shawn Johnson with JET Fitness, who also leads the “Sharpen the Saw” workouts at the elementary school in the morning, helped lead the students in exercises.
Blow your horn? Council deals with state ordinance for train horns at railroad crossings By AMY HANSEN
OST news editor • ahansen@osceolaiowa.com
The saying goes, “Go toot your own horn.” Each year, the city goes through a series of ordinance amendments that are triggered by changes made to the state code by the state legislature. Much of the city code mirrors the state code, and the goal is to keep them consistent. During an Osceola City Council meeting Tuesday, Oct. 6, a public hearing was held on the proposed ordinance amendments to provisions pertaining to railroad crossing signals. The code originally stated operators of a train shall sound a horn at least 1,000 feet before a street crossing is reached, and after sounding the horn, shall ring the bell continuously until the crossing is passed. That was struck from the Iowa Code in its entirety, and the city looks to do the same with the ordinance amendment and not replace it with anything. Council reaction “So, a train can go through town silent?” Councilman Dr. George Fotiadis asked. “Yes,” replied Ty Wheeler, city administrator/clerk. “Is that a good idea? I mean, they’re noisy, but …” Fotiadis continued. Wheeler said the crossing gates will still sound, but the horns shall no longer be required when a train passes through town. However, city officials
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OST photo by AMY HANSEN
Gates are lowered as a train passes through Osceola Wednesday, Oct. 7.
pointed out the ordinance change wouldn’t prohibit a train conductor from sounding a horn in town, either. “I think the reason they probably changed it, is a lot of people were complaining about the number of times they were blowing the horn,” said Councilman Dennis Page. Still needs final approval The first reading of the ordinance amendment was approved by the council, but there were still concerns about final approval with the second and third readings also needed. “From an administrative perspective, it is nice to keep our code book clean,” Wheeler said. “And, if we begin to start accumulating codes that we’re basing off of state code, but we accumulate those that are no longer enforceable or
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“From an administrative perspective, it is nice to keep our code book clean.” — Ty Wheeler
City administrator/clerk
changed or redacted completely, now we start having issues with our codes themselves.” Follow-up After the council meeting, Wheeler was in contact with the Iowa Department of Transportation. According to Philip Meraz with the Office of Rail Transportation, Iowa Department of Transportation, the trains will continue to sound their horns at all public crossings except in a designated “Quiet Zone,” which Osceola doesn’t have. Meraz said, in 2005, the
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Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) passed a final “Train Horn Rule.” “This describes the requirement, pattern and duration of when trains shall use their horns and bells nationwide,” he said. “It also established the opportunity and prerequisites for ‘Quiet Zones.’” Basically, this designated the FRA as sole jurisdiction on the horn issue and pre-empted state and local regulation. Even though it’s not in the city code, the horns will continue to sound.
Don’t Forget Farmers’ market
Clarke County Farmers’ Market is planned 8 a.m. to noon Saturday on the courthouse lawn.
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